East Jefferson goal keeper Shawn Deshotel collapses on a shot from Lutcher's Luke Bethelot in the first half. Deshotel had 15 saves, while Berthelot earned an assist on Lutcher's goal in the 30th minute. (John Harper, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

Seemingly down and out after getting out shot, shut out, and out scored 1-0 in the first half, No. 16 East Jefferson closed its fist hard around the bi-district round game against No. 17 Lutcher.

Switching formations at halftime back to what East Jeff Coach Alex Ziegler called "old faithful" did the trick for the Warriors, who came out firing back behind senior captain Tre Walker to take complete control of the game and win, 2-1, at Joe Yenni stadium.

“The first half was definitely my mistake in the formation we played,” Ziegler said. “It was having Tre in the back really hurt us. Once we moved him to the outside and the balls were being played outside it opened up the midfield for us and allowed us to score.”

Walker took the first three shots of the half after being moved out of the backfield and out to his usual position on the left wing. Lutcher eventually cracked under pressure, and freshman Ferndando Hernandez hooked his 13th goal of the season around three defenders to tie the game at one in the 55th minute.

Fewer than 60 seconds passed before fellow freshman Isaac Espinoza found the back of the net on a breakaway. Lutcher goalie Coy Amato got a hand on the ball, but bobbled it before losing it in the back of the net, then falling to his knees and pounding the turf as the Warriors celebrated what would eventually be the game winning goal.

“At first our problem was playing the ball in the air too much, we couldn’t control it,” Espinoza said. “We switched the fields and once we did that we got more comfortable. It was easier to find a ball and score.”

Lutcher clung to life as time ran down. Several cramps and minor injuries added four minutes of stoppage time to the end of regulation. With unknown seconds left in the game the Warriors launched a corner kick into the heart of the penalty box. Player jumped en masse, but above all rose East Jeff keeper Shawn Deshotel, who secured the ball and the game for the Warriors.

“That was one of the best games I have ever played in,” Deshotel said. “I just saw the ball and I knew I had to go get it.”

Deshotel, concluding his first season between the posts, finished with 15 saves in the game (75 on the season) on 16 attempted goals.

East Jefferson now prepares for its most difficult challenge this season when it travels next week to face top-ranked Alexandria in the regional round.

“We’ve got to stay humble, because we’re playing the number one team next week and I don’t want to go into that game with a big ego off of this one game,” Walker said. “I really want to play Alexandria. It will probably be the hardest game we’re ever going to play.”

In the first half the Bulldogs attacked as a cohesive unit to outshoot East Jefferson 12-7. Lutcher used a five wide, three back formation that kept the ball moving up and down the sidelines in transition.

Lutcher took a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute as junior Luke Berthelot found Austin Hymel on a close cross. Deshotel dove but was unable to reach the far post in time.

Key to East Jefferson’s control over possession was the ball handling poise of freshman Joon Park. Park controlled the left wing, chewing his way through Lutcher’s defense and burning up time as East Jefferson held on tight to its one goal lead.

“He’s a freshman and he’s awesome,” Ziegler said. “He’s really taken the ball on by himself. He’s been taking the big guys on and just possessing the ball.”

On the defensive end East Jeff sophomore Wilson Aguilar took control on his way to recording four tackles. Aguilar averted two breakaways in the second, one with a clean slide that allowed Deshotel to clear the goal.

Next week’s game will be the second time in as many years that East Jefferson faced a top-seed in the regional round of the playoffs. Last year the Warriors edged out a 2-1 overtime win over Bolton before losing to Ben Franklin in the quarterfinals.

Walker said that he is not concerned with the challenge ahead, instead looking to embrace the progress East Jefferson has made after losing nearly all of its starters from last year’s squad.

“The more chemistry you have on the team the more comfortable you feel, you can look in the opposite direction and play it the other way and know someone’s going to be there for you,” Walker said. “That’s something that this team really has and I hope to it doesn’t end.”